The Press Box-Week of 3/24/14

Cassidy Rolf will bring added power to the Express softball lineup starting in 2014-15 after she signed to play at Owens Community College on Friday.

Rolf, a senior third baseman at Eastwood High School, has garnered a lot of attention in the area after taking home plenty of hardware the past three years.

In her junior season, she led the Eagles in home runs on her way to being named to the All-County and All-Press First Teams, as well as All-District and All-Northern Buckeye Conference (NBC) Second Teams.

As a junior, Rolf hit a home run as part of a four-run inning for the Eagles to help them past Elmwood High School in the district championship. Eastwood later lost to Bloom-Carroll in the Division III state semifinal, but finished the year 29-4.

Rolf wrapped up her junior season hitting .417 with 39 RBI, 39 runs, 19 extra-base hits and rounded it out with nine steals. Rolf was also a member of the volleyball and bowling teams at Eastwood.

In her sophomore season, Rolf was named to the All-NBC, All-District, All-Press and All-County First Teams.

The 2014 Express softball team is off to a 6-0 start. (— by Nick Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information)

Pendletons host throw clinic

A track and field throw clinic will be held at Genoa High School, rain or shine, on Apr. 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $85 per athlete and $50 per coach or parent, who are encouraged to come. Includes sports throw ball for drills, breakfast, and lunch. Registration and breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m.

Woodmore’s Pendleton family will host, including new Genoa throw coach Mike Pendleton and his four daughters, who were all state champions or qualifiers in the discus or shot put.

Emily Pendleton is a two-time Big Ten champion in discus, two-time Big Ten runner-up in discus, 2007 National Gatorade Track and Field Player of the Year, a four-time high school state discus champion, finished second (2007) and fourth (2006) at the state shot put event, was a 2006 and 2007 High School All-American and national champion in the discus, was 2007 Pan Am Games discus champion, and is the all-time Ohio high school state record holder in the discus (183 feet, three inches).

Erin Pendleton is the 2010 Silver Medalist at the Jr. World Meet in Moncton, Canada, the 2010 and 2012 Big Ten champion in the discus, a two-time high school state discus champion and state meet record holder, finished third at the Pan Am Games in Trinadad, Tobago (2009) in the discus, finished third at the state high school meet in the shot put in 2009, fourth in 2008, and second in 2007.

Carly Pendleton was the 2011 Ohio state champion in the discus, the silver medalist at the Ohio state meet in 2010, and a New Balance Outdoor High School All-American in the discus in 2010. Megan Pendleton finished eighth at the Ohio high schools state meet in the discus in 2013 and in 2012, finished 12th.

Casino to host tourney

Hollywood Casino Toledo will be hosting four Marquee Millionaire slot tournament events in March and April qualifying one lucky winner each week for the championship event taking place May 2-4 at the M Resort Spa & Casino in Las Vegas, and a 1-in-200 shot at a million dollars.

Each event will feature two-minute rounds of card-in continuous play. Video and audio elements of a slot tournament include bright, illuminated machines, good-luck charms, and cheers from players and spectators on the casino floor.

Over the four week promotion, participants will not only have a chance at qualifying for the championship in Vegas; they will also have a chance to win a share of over $56,000 in cash and free slot play. Each week the 30 highest scores will win a share of $14,000 in cash and free slot play.

Lady luck will be with the four property winners, which will join 200 total from across the country as they travel to the M Resort Spa & Casino in Las Vegas to experience an exclusive VIP weekend of entertainment and competition at the Forbes’ four-star-rated resort. Qualifying players with the 20 highest scores in the championship event will win cash prizes, with the top player also walking away with $1 million (to be paid in annual installments over 20 years).